Go Hung: [uk1] [lau6] [pin1] [fung4] [lin4] [ye2] [yu5]

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Karin Weber Gallery is excited to announce [uk1] [lau6] [pin1] [fung4] [lin4] [ye2] [yu5] by Go Hung, one of Hong Kong’s most versatile conceptual artists, in his first solo exhibition with our gallery.

[uk1] [lau6] [pin1] [fung4] [lin4] [ye2] [yu5], a Cantonese colloquialism which loosely translates as ‘it never rains but pours’, is a new body of work inspired by the day-to-day challenges faced by underprivileged members of society since the outbreak of the pandemic. Recycled everyday materials from the streets, such as used paper, packaging materials and hotel soap bars are repurposed into Go’s signature installations, each a tangible reminder of the income inequality that is prevalent in Hong Kong but equally poignant in a global context.

Hong Kong has been named the most expensive city to live in 2022, according to various studies1. With the minimum wage HK$37.50 per hour and the average rent $39 per square foot for a subdivided flat, a low-income family of four is likely to be spending more than half of their monthly outgoings on rent and faces a waiting time of 6.1 years to access public housing. In 2020, the Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report identified one fifth of the local population as living in poverty.

“We have been living with Covid-19 for around three years, it has become part of our daily lives, and it seems fine to some of us. Life goes on. It brings up a new form of ‘normal’ in order to keep daily activities and society running. It’s easy to forget that some of the unluckier ones have lost their jobs
and are struggling to get by. It is not hard to find news headlines reporting on stress, mental and physical health issues due to unemployment, time spent in a tiny, ill equipped living space for too long, the inability to make healthy food choices.” observes Go Hung.

[uk1] [lau6] [pin1] [fung4] [lin4] [ye2] [yu5] reflects Go’s engagement with social inequality in his artistic practice. His ever-evolving readymade installations reflect life as it happens in Hong Kong’s streets, with a unique, often wry and humorous twist. His works constitute a metaphor for the wasteful, consumerist culture we, as a global and globalized society, seem to struggle to let go of.

A share of proceeds from this show will be donated to Oxfam Hong Kong.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Hong Kong based artist Go Hung (b. 1980) obtained his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in Digital Arts at the University of West London and Camberwell College of Arts in London, UK. After his MA studies, he expanded his chosen medium from physical computing to self-taught creations, mostly in the field of sculpture. Recent exhibitions include ‘Ragpickers’ at Novalis Art Design, Hong Kong (2022), ‘[Zau1] [san1] [gwat1] [tung3]’ at Square Street Gallery, Hong Kong (2021), ‘Second Skin’ at Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong (2021) and ‘disCONNECT HK’ by Schoeni Projects, Hong Kong (2020).